The Portals ( book 1 )

∞9∞ Road Trip

Keira had lost track of time. This often happened to her when she was reading. She had found solace in reading since she had been a child, her parents had thought it was the only way to calm her down and she had taken to it immediately. Her love for books and her overactive imagination meant that by the time she was 13, she was writing fanfiction online. Keira didn't talk about it much, but she dreamed about someday writing her own story, she just found it hard to start.

Keira suddenly heard voices outside the tent, and saw shadows dancing across the cloth. She drew in her breath sharply and hurriedly set the book down on the bed, pushing the chest back in with her foot. Before she could gather up her courage and ask who it was, a voice spoke up, "Keira, are you there?" She exhaled when she heard Zach's voice. She got up and untied the flap. "You scared me..." she trailed off when she saw that Zach wasn't alone. Behind him were a tall, dark, bald man with piercing dark eyes and a single gold hoop in his year. He was examining Keira up and down. Beside the man was a plump woman with braided dark hair streaked with grey. Her eyes twinkled and smile-lines marked her face. Keira immediately like her.

Once they were all inside, the woman startled Keira by taking both her hands. "So, it is true!" she said cheerfully. "When Zach mentioned a girl, I must admit I did not believe him, but it is true and what a beautiful girl you are!" Keira wasn't really able to process much. "Thanks," was all she could say. The woman proceeded, "Oh! How I have waited for the day Zach would bring a girl home!" she added in a softer voice, "My Zach is a sweet boy, but he does not really have many friends. But such a lovely girl you are, dear!" Keira was feeling thoroughly awkward now and looked to Zach for help. Zach was standing in a corner next to the man and blushing furiously, staring at the floor like he was trying to burn a hole through the carpet. The man cleared his throat and Zach collected himself. "Keira, this is Saga and Leka Ramadan. They are going to help you get home." Keira nodded incredulously. The man, Saga, stepped forward. "Zacharo ("That's his name?" thought Keira) told me about your story, but I believe it is better if we hear it from you." "Okay," said Keira, and took a deep breath.

Leka and Keira sat down on the bed, Saga took the chair and Zach stood sheepishly in a corner. Keira could tell that his relationship with these people extended beyond Saga being the head of the camp. As Keira began telling the story, Leka started examining her. She checked her forehead, felt her pulse and studied the bottle of ointment. It was a bit odd and almost funny to be prodded and examined by a pair of soft, cold hands as she narrated what had happened to her, but she didn't complain.

When she was done, Saga closed his eyes and went into a sort of deep trance while Leka took her hands again. "You poor dear. Your parents must be so worried." The motherly affection made Keira's eyes moist and Leka embraced her warmly. Keira didn't protest.

Saga opened his eyes. "In all my years, I have never come across such a thing." He said. "I suggest that once you are fully fit, you should immediately go to The King's Council. They have greater access to the Scripts than I do. I would accompany you myself but Leka and I must see to the Camp."

"I will take her," Zach said without a moment's hesitation.

Keira was surprised but Saga continued, "Very well. You should leave at the earliest. The journey to Kata will, at best, take three days..."

Keira couldn't control herself, "Three days?" she asked.

Saga looked slightly annoyed at the interruption, "At best. It is the only way."

Leka sensed the alarm on Keira's pale, slack-jawed face and immediately came to the rescue, "It will be alright, dearie. By the looks of you, your parents must be strong people." Keira nodded a little. "I'll pack what you need for the journey, you two needn't worry about it. And you, take care of this beautiful young lady, Zach."

Zach's cheeks were tinted slightly but he nodded.

Saga spoke up, "In the meanwhile, I shall be studying as much as I can about what could possibly have occurred. I'll send Diablo to ensure you two are alright and will send messages through him as well, should the need arise."

"Who's Diablo?" Keira asked. Saga shot her a weary look, then said, "Diablo is my Falkan. In Auburnazia, domestic Falkans are often used to relay messages."

After Leka had given Keira one last hug, the couple got up. As they were leaving, Saga laid a hand on Zach's shoulder and said, "Be careful, Zacharo." Zach nodded curtly and Saga strode out. Leka stayed a moment longer. She laid a hand on Zach's face and smiled. She looked back at Keira once and winked. Keira could swear she saw a spring in her step as she walked out.

∞

Zach collapsed onto the bed as soon as the two had left. Keira would have laughed at how flustered he looked but the long journey that stretched before them swirled through her mind. She eventually looked at Zach, "You seem close to them." Zach exhaled. "I have lived with them since I was 7 years old, when my parents died," he said bluntly. Keira's mouth formed an 'o'. She decided against saying she was sorry, she knew that never helped. "Oh" was what she said instead. She couldn't imagine life without her parents. Her psychologist mother who always knew how she was feeling but asked her anyway. Her lawyer dad who had carried her on his shoulders till he was ten, and had partaken in her weird traditions solemnly. She was an only child, but her parents had never let her feel lonely, even in phases when she had more fictional friends than real ones. That was, until Lola and Steph had come along.

Zach spoke, bringing her back to reality (who knows what that meant anymore), "You were reading?" He had seen the book on the bed. "Sorry...I just didn't have anything to do and the chest hit my foot and I love to read so..." Keira stuttered out. "That's alright. I don't mind," he said, picking up the book, "This was my father's." "So it's his name on the cover?" she asked. Zach nodded. "He took a lot of notes, huh?" said Keira. The margins had been covered in the same handwriting, some parts in English and the others in a different language. Zach nodded again and said, "He was studying several of these books, as part of something he was working on. He never got to finish."

Keira couldn't do anything but say "Oh" again. "That's a pity," she added. Zach smirked. "What?" she asked, "Why'd you laugh?" "No reason. Just that you seem like a talkative person and then you say, "Oh"."

"Oh."

He raised his eyebrows and she let out a small laugh. That was the best she could do under the circumstances. Speaking of... "Thanks for agreeing to come with me to...where are we going again?" "Redstone Palace in Kata. You're welcome." Keira paused and then asked, "I'm not complaining. At all. But why did you agree? I've been enough of a pain." Zach seemed to consider for a second, and then said, "Well, it is a chance to escape Camp for a few days. I'll take that chance."

"It'll be like a road trip," Keira said with a small smile, even though she knew a voyage across the desert with basically a stranger in a different universe with no contact with her family or friends was far from a fun vacation trip in an undersized car where you constantly pretended you were in a music video. Zach looked at her with a confused look and she thought that he was going to disagree (like the rational part of her did). Instead he asked, "What is a road trip?"

Keira shook her head, "Never mind."

Zach didn't press for further information about the workings of the 'road-trip' concept. After a second, he asked, "When would you like to leave?"

Keira was serious when she replied. "Now."